Romeo's Story
by Rhov
Summary: The next generation of Fairy Tail: Romeo and Wendy! Chapter 4, Romeo isn't allowed to fight using magic when at school, so Elfman decides to teach him how to have "manly fists."
1. Romeo's Idol

_A/N: Chapter 253 blew me away. I had a feeling a timeskip was eminent, but I never thought it'd be like this, or a whole 7 years. Seeing Romeo at the end has me eager to see what this new arc will be like. It also made me look around this site. I was shocked that there are no stories with Romeo. None. At all! So, I guess this is a first, and as we see the "future" of Fairy Tail, I have a feeling it'll be the first of many. It's just a drabble, but as we see what lies in store for Fairy Tail I will likely add more drabbles to this one. Enjoy!_

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><p><strong>Romeo's Story<br>**

a _Fairy Tail_ fanfic

by Rhov

.

**Chapter 1**

**Romeo's Idol**

Romeo wished growing up didn't take so long.

He wanted, more than anything, to be a Fairy Tail mage and have that stamp placed on him. He knew just where to put it, too.

He admired all the mages in his father's guild. He sneaked down there whenever he could, sometimes skipping school if something big was happening.

He liked talking to Mirajane, who always made him blush and wish he was older. He enjoyed sneaking fish to Happy just to see his eyes light up. He admired Elfman because he was the only person who called him "a man" and not merely a boy or child. Cana was like a big sister or aunt... although she smacked him when he once called her that. When Wendy joined them, he regretted that he was slightly too young for her. He hoped that maybe, when he grew up, just maybe she'd be willing to date a younger guy.

Yet there was one man he admired most. His father would probably be upset that his idol was not one of the more mature mages in the guild—really, were any of them truly mature?—but such a reckless one, maybe even _the most_ reckless.

He idolized Natsu's strength, but more than that, he liked how loyal the dragon slayer was to the guild and to his friends. He wanted to be like that one day. He wanted to be someone others could depend upon. He wanted to be strong, of course, but he knew there was more to a mage than mere strength. There was heart!

He wanted to have a heart like Natsu.

He knew where he would place the guild mark when he became old enough to join: on his shoulder, but on his left arm, opposite of Natsu. That way, when he and the dragon slayer stood side by side to fight for their friends, their symbols would touch.

As he stared out at the sea that had claimed his idol, Romeo knew those brave mages had to return some day. They _had_ to! And when they did, he and Natsu would stand side by side, their guild marks a reflection of each other. They would fight the numerous enemies who had cropped up over these past seven years. They would protect Fairy Tail and the new generation of mages.

And maybe now, he would be brave enough to tell Wendy about how he felt.

**End of Chapter 1  
><strong>

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><p><em>AN: Rhov here again. I decided Chapter 255 was worthy of another drabble. I hope Romeo becomes a key member of Fairy Tail... and learns how to control his fire. Please read on to chapter 2.  
><em>


	2. Welcome Back

_Disclaimer: Don't own it, don't have money, don't sue me.__ Spoiler for Chapter 255._

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**Welcome Back  
><strong>

They all left the dilapidated guild so eager and full of hope.

What was the point?

Romeo remembered when he used to be that way, sitting anxiously on the docks, a faint giddiness every time there was a slight rumor, yet that flutter of hope wavered over a pit of acid ready to sear all happiness. Each time, inevitably, the ship would sail back into harbor, depressed faces marched down the gangplank, Bisca would look over to him sadly and shake her head. As the guild members slumped back to the rotting tavern, Romeo's heart would break all over again.

He gave up on the idea of hope when he turned ten. It was a big celebration in his young life, but the people he wanted to be with him were not there. They would never return. He accepted that. He wanted to be a big boy, so he accepted facts. The fact was... Tenrou Island and all on it had been obliterated.

He wanted to protect his guild, just like _he_ always had. First came the determination to learn fire magic. A bracelet was the key, holder magic. It wasn't the same as the dragon slayer, but it was useful. It started ovens and lit candles well. Bisca and Laki insisted that was useful.

He got the scarf with the money from his first job. Slowly he adjusted his wardrobe, always wanting to be like his idol. As he grew up, he saw how his appearance made others in the guild smile. That was enough. He could warm them in the winter and make them remember happy times. He could never be as powerful as Natsu, but he could make the others hold onto his memory.

He tried to convince himself... that was enough!

But it wasn't.

They were weak. They knew that from the start. If they could have had just one of those members... if Gildarts was around, or if Laxus could have returned, or even Mystogan... but no, all the strong ones were gone. They got assistance from Blue Pegasus, but they could only do so much. Romeo was glad for one thing: his father never begged for money.

Until that day.

Macao tried to explain the desperate situation. If they didn't get the money, they lost the guild. Romeo knew he was naive about the inner workings of running a guild. He was still just a kid! But he felt Fairy Tail took a huge blow the day they had to turn to those brutes who were already trying to nudge them out of Magnolia.

He didn't want to lose Fairy Tail. All of his life, he had wanted to be a member of this guild. He worked hard to learn fire magic. He displayed his guild mark proudly, even though the students at school teased him. But if keeping Fairy Tail alive meant sacrificing their honor and becoming cowards, perhaps it was best to let go.

After all, the Wings of the Fairy had been plucked away by the Dragon of Destruction.

And then it happened.

Those stupid Ogres had returned. Romeo only knew one thing: protect the guild!

Protect them as Natsu had always done.

Protect family, friends... nakama!

But his flame wasn't enough. He needed to be stronger! He wanted to grow up faster so he could be like...

_HIM!_

He didn't believe it at first. A dream! A hallucination! He had dreamed that Natsu would walk through that door so many times. Yet his face was the same, unaged, preserved just as it had been in his memory.

And Juvia! And Mirajane! And Elfman! And Master! The real Master, not his father who could barely make ends meet and had to borrow money from barbarian Ogres who now flew across the room so easily. A gang they had struggled against and cowered before, and one grinning teenager took care of them all.

"We're home!" Natsu looked so relaxed and happy as ever.

"We're back." Erza with Bisca and Alzack hanging around her looked relieved somehow.

"Hmph." Yep, even Gajeel was the same.

"Everyone!" Happy leaped into the air with joy.

Then Cana came in with her usual request. "Alcohol, alcohol!"

"Yo." And Gray's wearing clothes... well, half-wearing them. Of course he has to show off his abs.

"Wah! Isn't it wonderful?" _Lucy, you have no idea. For you guys, it's been a few days. For us, seven long, agonizing years have trudged by._

Master—the real Master—looked less happy and more concerned, stroking his chin with a discerningly furrowed brow. "What's up with this tiny guild?" Romeo wondered if his father would get yelled at for letting it crumble so far. Not that it was his fault. Macao did his best, desperately holding the reins for these people to come home.

But it was the quieter voice that caught Romeo the most. "We've come back home."

Romeo's eyes saw her standing there in her cute dress. His first crush! She was exactly how she had been back when he first saw her, still the cute twelve-year-old air dragon slayer, hugging her petulant white cat.

Wendy! Like a rush of a summer breeze, her wide eyes, gentle smile, and slightly blushing cheeks made this hallucination real. And she looked at him. At him! Finally, he was old enough to look at her as an equal. He felt himself sweat.

Lucy the storyteller began an explanation. The others filtered in, hugging friends, glancing around at what they had been told was their new home. How strange it must be for them, to see their friends older, their world changed, their home gone. But not as strange as it was for those who had just about given up hope.

Romeo was speechless. He shivered as Makarov took over telling the story. He stared at his idol, at the salmon-colored hair, at the scarf he remembered so well and had tried to mimic. The same! All the same! Just as he had looked seven years ago. The same teen who had protected their guild time and time again.

Then Natsu's sharp eyes turned down to him. An eyebrow rose, then a smile, then his face beamed in surprise and excitement.

"You're all grown up, Romeo."

That was all that was needed. His eyes filled with tears. Seven years of building a wall around his fragile heart crumbled as he heard laughter in the guild hall once more. Familiar laughter. Noisy laughter.

The emotions boiled over. The one action he had withheld for seven years felt foreign on his face, yet in the midst of his idol and the smile from his first crush, Romeo found that his smile could not be withheld.

"Welcome back! Natsu-nii! Everyone!"

**End of Chapter 2**

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><p><em>AN: I hereby declare a new line of shipping. RoWen! I hope to write more RoWen drabbles in the future. They'll become the cutest couple in Fairy Tail since Happy first saw Charle! _XD_  
><em>


	3. A Unique Gift

_Disclaimer: I still don't own _Fairy Tail_, but if I write enough of these stories, I can have a share in the stocks. What do you mean Hiro Mashima has no "stocks"? What? SOCKS? I can only have his socks? And I have to buy them from an otaku on Ebay? Duuuuuude!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**A Unique Gift  
><strong>

Romeo could only say this in his own defense:

He was a healthy thirteen year old boy.

So when a certain blue-haired girl began invading his dreams, he could not help himself. He had never had dreams like that, nor had he ever felt quite like this toward any other girl. Well, besides that short-lived crush he had on his teacher two years ago, but that didn't count.

Wendy blew into his dreams like a monsoon: roaring, wild, and tempestuous.

It was driving him crazy. He wanted to hint to her, at least see if maybe, just possibly, she felt the same way. But who could he ask for advice? Natsu might be his idol, but the teen seemed oblivious to both Lucy and Lisanna, so obviously he wasn't the type of person who could give him advice on love. Gray was having enough problems with Juvia. He already knew Elfman would say these feelings proved he was a man, and if he was a real man he should confess, with no real advice on just _how_ he should go about doing so. Loke would likely have lots of advice, but Romeo hadn't seen him around in a while. Laxus scared him (bad childhood memories). Jet and Droy were hopeless when it came to relationships. The same went for Nab and Warren. Max... Romeo once saw the man smiling stupidly with a broom shoved up his butt (yet another traumatizing moment from his childhood) so he figured the guy swung the other way. Wakaba might have a few wise words, yet he would tell his father about it over drinks, and Romeo didn't want his dad to know yet. Alzack was usually the one he turned to, but he was off on a mission with Bisca. He didn't really know any of the others.

So he turned to the one person he never thought he would ever go to.

"Fish!"

Romeo blinked at Happy's suggestion. "Fish?" he echoed in disbelief.

"Aye. If you like a girl and want to get her attention, you give her a fish. She might not respond at first because she's just shy, but if you keep giving her fish, eventually she'll realize you're serious. Then one day she'll accept your fish, and she'll smile and thank you, and that means she lllllllikes you."

He still looked doubtful. After all, he was asking a _cat_! "Um... what about giving her flowers or chocolate?"

Happy pouted and folded his arms. "Sure, if you want to be boring and traditional. I mean, what can she do with a flower? Flowers just wilt. Lucy always says chocolate ruins her diet, so you don't want her getting upset if she's dieting. Fish are healthy. Fish make a unique gift. And if she tells you the fish was yummy, then maybe next time she'll invite you to come eat the fish with her. Then you two can have your first date."

"Ah, I see!" Romeo grinned. "She could invite me for lunch as a way to say thank you, that way it becomes a good excuse to get together so neither one feels too nervous. That's a good idea, Happy!"

"Aye," Happy grinned. "It's what I've been doing for Charle all this time."

The boy ran off, eager to grab his fishing pole. Meanwhile, Happy pouted to himself.

"Of course, Charle hasn't accept any of my fish yet. She still too shy."

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><p>The next day, Wendy was sipping chocolate milk while listening to Natsu, Happy, Gray, Lucy, and Erza plan their next mission. It involved infiltrating a night club, so she couldn't go since she was underage. Still, she liked to be with their group. It made her feel more mature to hang around older mages.<p>

She heard someone near her clearing their throat. She looked over and saw Romeo with his hands behind his back. His eyes were down, and his face was bright red.

"Romeo!" she cried out in surprise. "Are you sick? You look feverish. Maybe you should see a doctor."

"N-no, I'm fine," he stuttered. "Wendy, I... I got a... um..."

The others looked over curiously. Happy stood with a proud smile and nodded his head solemnly in support.

"I..." His face went three shades darker. Finally, Romeo squeezed his eyes shut tight, thrust his hands out from behind his back, showing a freshly caught salmon, and said in a rush, "I-caught-this-and-wanna-give-it-to-you-if-you-want-it-but-if-not-that's-okay-I-understand."

"Huh?" she asked, blinking in shock and confusion.

Romeo cringed. He knew there was no way he could say it again.

Lucy smiled at his cute attempt. She could only guess who gave this kid the idea. "He said he wants to know if you'd like to cook the fish he caught."

"Oh!" she cried out, then Wendy slowly blushed. "I... well, thanks but... I'm not that good at cooking, to be honest. Charle does our cooking."

"She's shy," Happy muttered, looking sympathetic.

"I-I can cook it," he offered. "I'll used my fire. I just... I thought... I mean, if you don't want it..."

"No, I'll eat it," she said fast, then blushed again. "It... it looks yummy. And I was starting to get a little hungry. Let's ask Mira if we can use the kitchen. We'll fix it together."

Romeo's face lit up in excitement. "Really? You like it?"

"It's very thoughtful," she smiled happily. Then she tittered softly. "Nobody's ever given me a fish before."

As the two headed off together to find Mirajane, Happy nodded smugly. "He has learned well!"

Erza sighed. "Happy, did you really tell Romeo to give Wendy a _fish_?"

"Aye! It's a unique gift. And see, now he's off on his first date with Wendy."

"Date?" scoffed Gray. "They're only cooking lunch together."

Happy tisked and shook his head. "You don't get it, Gray. He'll now get to spend about an hour with Wendy preparing the fish and chopping the fish and cooking the fish and eating the fish. She'll be smiling and laughing, and he'll get to see her being happy around him. That's a good first date."

Natsu hummed and stroked his chin. "Fish, huh?" Suddenly he leaped up. "Happy, we're going fishing!"

"Aye sir!" he cheered, and flew off just behind the racing dragon slayer.

After they were gone, Erza smiled to herself and ate another bite of strawberry cheesecake. "Lucy, I hope you don't mind fish for dinner."

Her huge brown eyes blinked in confusion. "Huh? Why do you say that, Erza?"

"Oh, no reason," she chuckled.

**End of Chapter 3**

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><p><em>AN: I have to say, I'm happy to see the stories about Romeo growing. When I started this, there were none at all. now there are 11. Yay! Oh, and if you don't believe me about Max with the broom up his bum? Look at Chapter 200, the post-party scene. I gawked when I saw that. I mean... seriously? Hiro-sensei got away with that? _XD


	4. Manly Fists

_A/N: I'm assuming the schooling system of Fiore is like Japan, in which case Romeo and Wendy are in Grade Eight and Grade Seven respectively (lower secondary schools are 7th-9th grade). I'm also assuming my attempt to hypnotize Hiro Mashima into handing the rights to _Fairy Tail_ over to me have failed once again. Darn it!  
><em>

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**A Manly Fist**

When Lucy, Natsu, and Gray stepped into the guild, they were shocked to see Romeo slouched on a chair, Wendy beside him, and the little girl dabbing cuts to his face. Already, a gash to his head was wrapped in bandages and his left eye had poofed out in purple swelling.

"Romeo!" Lucy cried out. "What happened?"

"Was it a bad mission?" asked Gray.

Natsu looked excited. "Were they Vulcans, like what your dad beat up?"

"No," the thirteen-year-old pouted. "They were Grade Nine boys."

"Ah," Natsu and Gray nodded together, seeming to understand perfectly, and they walked on to the counter to order from Mirajane.

"I don't get it," Lucy said with a frown. "Romeo is a fire mage and strong for his age. How could you possibly get beaten so badly by kids one year older than you."

"Lucy," Gray warned, and he shook his head in warning.

She still didn't get it, but she saw that her comment made Romeo glower even tighter. Suddenly he stood up and raced out of the guild hall.

"Poor Romeo," Wendy sighed. "I couldn't help him at all."

"I don't get it," Lucy cried out. "Wendy, you're a dragon slayer!"

They looked at her oddly, but Natsu realized it first.

"That's right, Lucy was raised in the Heartfilia Konzern. You probably had private tutors and stuff. You never went to public school."

She blushed a little at being reminded of that posh but painful past. "That's true. I finished all of my schooling through private instructors."

"In school," Wendy explained, "we're strictly not allowed to use our magic."

Gray thumbed over to Natsu. "Flame-brain here used to get in trouble every week for using fire, even if it was nothing more than a little flame in his mouth."

"And the stripper here," Natsu retorted, jabbing a thumb over toward Gray, "used to get detention all the time for uniform violation."

Gray turned angrily at him. "That has nothing to do with magic usage."

"So that's it," Lucy realized. "He couldn't use magic and he was too weak physically."

"No," Wendy assured wholeheartedly. "Romeo is really strong, but the older boys ganged up on him."

"That's being dirty," Gray glowered.

Natsu's eyes burned. "Was it because he's a Fairy Tail mage? I know he used to get harassed about Macao when he was little."

"No, not that," Wendy said, but she began to blush.

"Well, why did they pick a fight?" Lucy asked curiously.

Wendy's cheeks went even dark pink. "Because... the leader of the gang... h-he... sorta... confessed-he-liked-me-but-I-told-him-he-wasn't-my-type," she rushed out and immediately hid her face.

Natsu still pouted and hummed in confusion. "But if the gangster guy confessed to you, why did he beat up Romeo?"

Lucy sighed and patted his pink head. "A twelve-year-old gets it but a seventeen-year-old doesn't? Really, you're too much, Natsu."

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><p>For a few days, Romeo avoided the guild hall. When he finally returned, he looked weary, the type of exhaustion of someone who had been out practicing magic all day long.<p>

"Does me no good," he mumbled to himself as he slurped a banana shake Mirajane had fixed him in hopes that the treat might cheer him up. "I can't fight those jerks with magic anyway." Suddenly, he felt a shadow looming behind him. Romeo looked around and saw Elfman standing there with his huge arms folded over his barrel chest. He glared up at the muscled mage. "What? Are you gonna tell me it's not manly to sulk?"

Elfman knelt down to one knee so he could look Romeo straight into the eyes. "When I was your age, I got beat up all the time at school. I was timid and weak. They teased me about how Mira was a demon, or I'd try to take them on myself if they harassed Lisanna. I got beaten up badly every time, and once landed in the hospital. What is the weakness of mages?"

"Physical strength," Romeo answered immediately. The boys at school teased him about that. "But I train! I'm strong! If it was one-on-one, I'd kick their asses. Six against one, though..."

"There's a different style to mob fighting, different moves, different strategies. I'll teach you." He held his massive fist up. "I'll give you manly fists, Romeo. That way you can protect both Wendy and your pride as a mage of Fairy Tail."

The boy's eyes lit up.

A few minutes later, Lucy looked up from writing her story. Elfman was teaching Romeo how to fight. Reedus had drawn and created six shadow dummies to gang up on the boy, and he was using fists, kicks, and throws to take on the whole group. The fight still gathered a bit of a crowd. Cana was taking bets. Lucy glanced around and realized Wendy wasn't there. That was a shame, because Romeo was really holding his own in the fight.

"I hope the training helps him," Lucy smiled to herself.

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><p>The following week, Wendy brought Romeo into the guild hall. He had one arm wrapped around her thin shoulder to help him to balance. Both of his eyes were nearly swollen shut, and he was bleeding from the mouth. By the way he held his side, he probably also cracked a rib.<p>

Mirajane covered her face. "Oh dear! Did you lose another fight?"

"Nope," Romeo grinned, showing that he had also chipped a tooth. "I won. But it was twelve boys this time."

Wendy nodded proudly. "He was really amazing."

Romeo began to blush and turned his face away. "Aww, Wendy... it wasn't that great."

"No, really, it was! Romeo-kun defeated all twelve of them and protected me."

Lucy and Mirajane shared a knowing smile and tittered quietly at the flushed cheeks of the young boy.

Elfman smiled proudly and nodded in satisfaction. "Manly!"

**End of Chapter 4**


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